Lucky's (Mis)Fortune: CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

AIDEN WHITLOCK

"Would you hate me if I acted selfishly?" I asked him this without much thought. I had been wondering what his response would be and as I drove him to school and we were both alone, it was the perfect time.

He was startled by my sudden statement, the car having been silent a few seconds before. His eyes were on me, confused and curious, his head tilted in thought. He glances away, out the window to clear his head before his gaze is again connected with mine. My heart flutters and I wondered if his did too as he took a second before speaking. "It depends."

"What does it depend on, though?"

"Well, for example, are you deliberately hurting someone while committing this hypothetical selfish action? Ultimately, who is the one getting hurt?"

"I would never hurt you. That's the last thing I would ever want to do," I answer quickly.

He smiles sheepishly, his cheeks turning a light shade of pink. "I know." He chuckles.

We arrive at the school before either of us can say anything else. He gets out of the car with a goodbye wave. He hesitates for a second but soon, I watch him walk away, hating the awkwardness surrounding us because of an unmade decision; what is the best way to protect him?

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Looking at Jordan reminds me of everything we have done wrong. Looking at him reminds me that we have put someone so precious in danger against their will. Everyone in Golden Mane comes in with it being their own choice, and he didn't have that.

Looking at him makes my heart ache, telling me each second my eyes are on him that we are close to ruining an innocent soul.

Looking at Jordan reminds me that we have to tell him our plans, news I'm too afraid will make him hate me--us.

I can't be completely truthful with him when we're together and when he smiles at me, he makes me want to tell him even my darkest secrets. It was so dangerous to the point that I had to stop driving him to school. Which is exactly why this past week has been so hard. We have been having the same discussion over and over again, the question ultimately being; what is the best way to keep Jordan safe and unharmed?

Mr. Lewis is adamant on sending him away but the three of us are far to selfish to want to lose the connection we have with him, a connection that had been growing a week ago.

"We have given him that choice before and he didn't take it. I don't see why we should offer it again," Eliott insisted.

He has become attached to Jordan. For him, it was close to nonexistent the times he became attached to someone but once he did he was stubborn and clingy. Even if we reiterated that sending him away was for the best, he would fight because that's just who he is. He wants to keep those he cares for close, he believes that that's the only way they would stay safe.

I hold his hand before he lashes out from frustration, having repeated his point numerous times now and the frown on his face was close to anger

"The danger wasn't as big as it is now, Eliott, you know that," Mr. Lewis rebutted, just as frustrated.

Eliott huffs, looking away. He couldn't fight that. Everyone knew that was the truth. There was a direct threat against Jordan now, his body meant a claim of power to other gangs. Rowan had held one of the shooters hostage after the outbreak at the club. After some beating, the man finally told us what they had come after. It wasn't much of a surprise when his reply was a boy with dirty blonde hair, brown eyes, and a sharp nose. The description was vague but the picture in the man's back pocket solidified the fact that it was Jordan who they were looking for.

"I still think we should be asking Jordan his opinion. We can't just be making choices like this for him. He never asked to be part of this world and he shouldn't be," I say firmly.

The others have been so stubborn in bringing him into these discussions, clearly wanting to have control over the situation. And, well, they were afraid. Afraid that Jordan would actually want to leave, that we would never be able to see him again.

I was scared too, the thought being extremely dreadful but it was better than if we have to deal with his death.

I swallow and look down at the thought, a shiver going through me.

It's not that I believe that he's not strong enough to survive--it would just have to be a couple of months, a year max before people moved on--but I didn't know enough about his defense mechanism. Also, his fear of gun shots made things worse. What if he had to fight someone with a gun and he just suddenly fainted?

Maybe he really can't protect himself but in that case, he has us. We'll be by his side every second of the day if needed. We could even move him into our room or at the very least, the room next to ours.

"He'll end up dead." Mr. Lewis's voice was sad, scared and desperate. He is as protective of Jordan as we are, his fatherly instincts kicking in. "You have seen what gun shots do to him! Do you think that learning about fighting will be enough?"

"What will be enough is him knowing how to act tough. We need him to act like he can concur anything. We need to prove to everyone that we aren't just protecting him but that he is essential, that he is worth protecting." Khael had barely spoken, looking focused on his seat, his hands interlaced and in front of his mouth, his elbows propped on the table. "We will ask for his opinion. He has to be willing to work with us for him to actually be good and demonstrate that he is strong."

What if it's not enough?

I bite the tip of my tongue, the thought likely being one that we're all thinking and would make us anxious.

The four of us stay quiet for a few seconds, thinking. I was thinking of all the possible outcomes. The happiest was when people forgot about him and we continued on with our lives happily, we got to pursue him and one day he would sleep in our bed. The worst case scenario was one of us dying while fighting protecting Jordan.

None of us could die.

If it had to be anyone, it would have to be me.

It was my fault, after all. It all started when I invited him to that race.

"Let's talk to him. The choice is up to him," I say.

Eliott looked grumpy at the fact that leaving was one of the choices but we all knew that it would have to be. The question now was whether Jordan trusted himself and if going through all of this was what he wanted or if he preferred running away.

I wouldn't blame him if he wanted to run. After all, who wants to risk their life without a real reason?

What could possibly keep him here? He could go to school anywhere, it seems that he has no family in the city, he has only one friend, we could easily get him a new job and identity anywhere he wanted.

What will be his choice?